Perchance to Dream
by Nozomi
Summary: 'For it is only the circle which can bring back what is past and over with...' Crossover with Mercedes Lackey's 'Heralds of Valdemar' series, but no prior experience needed. ^.^ Yaoi/shounen ai. (C&C always appreciated!)
1. Disclaimer

Fic Title: Perchance to Dream

Category: Semi-AU, Adventure, Drama, (perhaps) Romance, Fusion

Rating: PG-13 (might go up later)

Pairings: Z+E, future Y/R, (most likely) future H/Z, perhaps more

Disclaimer: It's mine! All *mine*! Muhahahahahah- er, no, actually it's not... *sigh*

Warnings: Um... could actually be interpreted as a deathfic in the first part, but I really dunno if it's gonna be that way in the end. Angst, Magic, Occult, Polytheistic-ness

This story is a semi-fusion/crossover with Mercedes Lackey's 'Heralds of Valdemar' series. No previous information is needed to read this, however. Everything will be explained with time, don't worry. ^.^

Thanks go to Poetisa for the inspiration, and for always being so encouraging. ^.^


	2. Part One, Heaven Don't Hear Me

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Perchance to Dream

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Heaven Don't Hear Me

Zero sighed thoughtfully, the grass of the Relaxation Room tickling his bare arms as he gazed upwards, his vision turned within himself. Today had not exactly been a normal day on GOA for the late-eighties Candidates; then again, did endless running on a giant hamster wheel really count as 'normal' for anyone else but the Candidates who resided on GOA? It was highly doubtful.

Still...

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[Zero... sleeping inside you... is definitely the same "truth"...]

[That's why, Zero... you can show me the "answer"...]

What, exactly, had Clay meant by that? And why had he brought up those strange dreams? Did they really have something to do with the protecting Zion from the VICTIM, like Clay had most likely thought they did?

The chocolate-haired youth grimaced and rolled on to his side, nose scrunching up at the tickling sensation the grass caused. He snorted but didn't roll on to his back again, his muscles already relaxing into his new position.

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*So what's this REALLY all about, hm? I can't help but get the feeling someone's staring at me when my back is turned practically wherever I go-- and, regardless of what he'd like us to think, that old guy can't be everywhere at once, though sometimes it REALLY feels like it. And I don't know who else would want to stare like they're dissecting me with their eyes, which is what it feels like they're trying to do.*

Another thought came to him.

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*That coward Hiead's been real jumpy lately, too; wonder what THAT'S all about? Well, more jumpy than usual, I should say. I've never seen the guy anything but uptight. Still, I don't think he's ever initiated a fight with anything but words up till now; all of a sudden it seems like every time I turn around he's there, fire in his eyes and taunts on his lips, muscles fairly twitching for a brawl.*

He grimaced as he recalled the fight earlier that morning, which inevitably brought his thoughts around to the occurrence after the test they had all been put through, and tears sprang unbidden to his eyes.

*_Clay... you're not gonna be there to stop me and him from fighting anymore. Without you to be my conscience around him, I think we just might be expelled for fighting, never mind the way people around here treat me as if anything I do wrong is worth ignoring as long as I become a Pilot.*_

*And where, do you suppose, you'll end up now? You said your path was different from mine, that it looked like you'd never become a Pilot... where, then, are you off to? And will I ever see you again? The link we have as friends isn't like the one I have to Erts, where I can almost feel him, a tangible presence in the back of my mind. We two may go through the rest of our lives just missing each other, somehow never ending up in the same place at the same time... I don't want that to happen. Friends are too precious to take lightly, Mother says. I have no reason not to believe that.*

"There you are!" A light voice broke his deep musings, and he shifted and looked up, sea-deep gaze flying up the Repairer Candidate uniform before latching onto the familiar face of his caller. Kizna. "I've been looking all over for you, Zero! You shouldn't run off like that, you know. It could get you in trouble," her voice was affectionately chiding, and the smile on her face softened any impact her words might have done on Zero.

He grinned up at her, glad she hadn't mentioned anything in respect to the next session to cure his Zero-Gravity Sickness. Instead the pink-haired girl sighed when he didn't reply and settled down next to him, arms wrapped around herself as she pulled her knees against her chest, listening to the quiet of the room.

"I talked to Saki earlier," she said in a quiet voice after a moment, glancing at her partner to make sure he hadn't fallen asleep on her. "She's holding up, but I think maybe you should talk to her sometime. You and Clay were very good friends..."

"Are," he interrupted, shifting to look at her. There was a determination in his eyes she had seen many times before. "We'll see them all again, I'm sure of it! Clay... and Erts... and anyone else who might leave for awhile in the future, I'm sure we'll all meet again!"

She smiled a bit at that, shifting and lying down on the warm grass next to him, feeling the warmth of their bodies mingle. "Then I'm sure we will, too."

"... Zero?" Kizna asked after a time of quiet reverie, breaking the silence between them. "Do you think... we'll do it? That the Goddess' will finally defeat Victim one day? Maybe even with your help? And mine?"

Her only answer was his deep, even breathing, and a vague sense of déjà vu. She had a sneaking suspicion of what she would see when she glanced at him, and she was right. Her lazy, loud-mouthed partner had fallen asleep while they were talking. Again.

With a wry grin she snorted lightly and pillowed her head in her arms, staring up at the leaves of the overhanging tree branches. She found her eyes slipping closed as she lay there, but sleep eluded her for now. Instead, with the sound of Zero sleeping and the hum of the ship underneath and all around her, she began to sing, voice lending a melancholy tune to the air.

"Making my way downtown, walking fast, faces passing, I'm homebound. Staring blankly ahead, just making my way, making my way, through the crowd. And I need you. And I miss you. And now I wonder... If I could fall into the sky, do you think time would pass me by? 'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles if I could just see you... tonight..."

And so time passed, the time that was so precious to her, and Kizna drifted to sleep with the sound of her own voice fading in her ears.

-----

Zero awoke from a nightmare what must have been several hours later to find his whole world quaking beneath him. For one terrifying instant he thought the strangely human-shaped monster had followed him out of his dark dream, but then his mind cut in and patiently reminded him that it was most likely just another attack on Zion by Victim, and GOA was shaking because of the battle outside. Well. That certainly made much more sense than a nightmare-turned-real. He was glad he thought of it.

The space that Kizna had occupied next to him was empty, but he could still see the indentation in the grass where she had lain, and the spot was still a bit warm. So she couldn't have been gone too long; she probably jumped up when the first attack came, not even bothering to wake him. Zero let a sullen look grace his features for a moment before he pushed himself to his feet. If there was a battle against Victim going on outside-- and he had not doubt whatsoever that there was-- that meant that the Pilots were fighting.

That meant that Erts was fighting again...

He wondered sometimes if the golden, sunny boy had ever gotten over his aversion to battle, even though he somehow knew in his heart that he hadn't. There _was_, indeed, a special link between he and Erts, almost as if Zero could feel him in the back of his mind; what he was feeling, what he was thinking. It was quite extraordinary, and he enjoyed it, even though if it had been with anyone else he might have felt a bit uncomfortable with it. It made him feel... loved.

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*Now... lessee... Best place to see the battle? Definitely the Observation Deck.*

He grinned and headed for the Deck, by now the way having been inscribed into his inner memory. Sometimes he liked to just sit in there and think, so he had had to figure out where it was at first... not to mention all the times he had floated, face a sickly green, past it's windows during Kizna's evil 'Curing Sessions'. He grimaced at the memories, but the expression was soon clouded out by a cheery grin. No need to worry himself sick over something that would undoubtedly _make_ him sick later.

By now he had reached the door leading in to his destination. As the door slid open and he stepped through, however, he was surprise to catch sight of Hiead, standing quietly in the corner and staring up at the blackness visible around them, explosions of light visible in the near distance.

"What are _you_ doing here?" the chocolate-haired boy blurted without thinking, then violently resisted the urge to clap a hand over his own mouth. With Hiead the way he was lately, Zero had most likely started a fight with those simple words.

Curiously enough, the silver-haired youth did nothing in retaliation but cast him a piercing, freezing glance, before he went right back to watching the Ingrid battle. Odd. Maybe he was finally getting over whatever stupid bug had gotten into him, thank the goddesses. Zero decided to push his luck, as suicidal as that may have been.

"Hey, Hiead," he began jovially, slapping his rival on the back of the head as he approached, earning him another ice-cold glare. "Ready for when I beat you _again_ in the next lesson?"

Those wine-colored eyes narrowed a split-second before he brought his attention back to what was in front of him. "Idiot."

Zero smirked, turning his gaze to what had so caught Hiead's.

The five Ingrids _were_, indeed, out there-- fighting against a new attack from Victim, like Zero had suspected. There movements were so graceful, like those of a choreographed dance of some sort; the blue-eyed boy couldn't help but be awed by it all. Even after months of being _here_, of staying at GOA and training to become a Pilot, it was still a little overwhelming and hard to believe that _anyone_ could maneuver such magnificent creations, let alone _him_. But it was true, all of it. He was going to become a Pilot-- and Hiead Gner was going to die a fiery death, left in Zero's wake and forgotten by all. Muwahahahahahaha. He liked the sound of that.

Okay, so it was nice to dream, anyway. About Hiead dyeing a fiery death, that is; Zero was determined that he would become a Pilot, and so was everyone else around here. Their support was very comforting-- and a booster for his ego.

A bright explosion out in space brought tremors under the pair's feet soon after, and Zero almost tripped, catching hold of the edge of a bench to steady himself. He thought he saw Hiead smirk out of the corner of his eye, but shrugged it off as irrelevant as he straightened; no need to get into a brawl when there was something much more interesting that proving himself to Hiead at the moment-- namely, watching Erts' vessel and making sure it was and stayed in good shape.

His eyes picked out the subtle green of Luhma Klein easily enough, considering the times he'd done just this action before, though in different portions of this ship. Erts seemed to be doing fine, holding his own on the fringe of the battle, since the Green Goddess wasn't really suited for intense battle, and Zero breathed a sigh of relief. For some reason he'd had this strange feeling that something was horribly, horribly wrong. Now, with his fears abated, he could chalk it up to the half-remembered remnants of a bad dream and just enjoy the battle-- keeping a discreet-but-close eye on his friend throughout the whole of it, of course.

Zero had to wonder, though-- why was it he worried about Erts so? Sure, he knew him, he was his friend and all, but... was that it? He didn't really know the others Pilots, he'd admit, and he'd only ever met that green-haired one-- Gareas Elidd, was it?-- who had just seemed indignant about Zero accidentally falling into Eeva-Leena, and his Repairer, who had seemed nice enough, if not a little too interested in his well-being for Zero to feel totally comfortable around her.

He liked Erts, he knew that much. Really, _really_ liked him. Maybe... more than liked him, perhaps? What else was there? Love? He could honestly say that he loved Erts as he loved all his close friends: Clay, Kizna, and even Yamagi. But did he _love_ him love him?

Zero had never been in love, and if this was it, the storybooks his mother used to read him weren't even close to hitting the mark. Sure, he wanted to protect Erts, but he wasn't seeing the blond boy as more than he was, but just as he was, unlike almost everyone else here. And he didn't mind if someone read his thoughts, anyway. Besides, according to _some_ people, there wasn't much to read.

The brown-haired youth had so many thoughts playing ring-around-the-rosy inside his head that he didn't notice the second swarm of Victim coming up behind Erts' Ingrid before it was too late-- not that he could have done much, but he still blamed himself for it. Maybe he could have warned the blond youth through their link-thing or something. Luckily, the powerful radar in Luhma Klein alerted Erts before he could be ambushed, but now the battle had been brought right into the blond Pilot's hands-- and Luhma Klein was in no way built for battling a large number of Victim, which was what had happened to the situation. Zero grit his teeth, hard, and willed his friend to get out of there, _fast_.

It was in that moment that the door to the Observatory Deck burst open and Yamagi ran in, skidding ungracefully to a halt five feet into the room. Roose was not far behind his shorter friend, pausing once he reached Yamagi to put his head between his legs and attempt to breathe deeply, breath nonetheless coming in short, hard gasps.

"Yama... gi... kun..." the green-haired youth gasped out, sparing quick, furtive, worried glances at his companion between the times then his eyes were tightly shut to stop the ship from spinning in his vision.

"What is it? What's wrong?!" Yamagi demanded in a rush, glancing around wildly, face mirroring confusing when he didn't immediately find anything out of the ordinary.

Zero blinked at him, eyes darting between his friend and fellow Candidate and the battle going on outside, while Hiead ignored him altogether. "Yamagi? What are you doing here?"

"Didn't you guys hear it?! You must have..." purple brows furrowed. "There was a girl... a woman, I think. And she called me. Called out. And I came here." He glanced first at Zero, then at Hiead, and finally out at the battle, gaze falling on the White Goddess. "She called me here."

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[Who is it you see...? Is it me...?]

Zero's eyes widened at that unheard, somehow _felt_ phrase. Yamagi could here her too? But he hadn't heard her, just now, and Yamagi had... did that mean in was a different woman?

Then again, how many strange woman who seemed to talk into your mind could there possibly _be_ in one galaxy?

A cry, echoing in his soul. Zero whirled and clenched his fists, gaze seeking out the Green Goddess instinctively.

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[First...!]

It was surrounded; totally and completely surrounded. No way out. The others were too far away, desperately trying to reach him, but... they wouldn't make it. Zero growled, anger at the Victim flashing up hot and red in his chest. If they dared touch him... his hair took on a life of its own, moving to stand on end, as he felt that familiar power well up...

And then they moved, all at once, converging on the Goddess and literally smothering it. Zero stood there, stunned into feeling nothing, for a moment or two, before his fists clenched tighter, drawing blood to the surface as he cried out in anguish and despair as something inside him twisted and faded into almost nothing. He lunged forward, pounding on the windows in frustration, tears springing to his eyes as he tried desperately to get out and help Erts before…

A hand on his shoulder, turning him violently; he stared in shock at Hiead, not recognizing him for a moment-- before a fist pulled back and struck, landing a jarring blow to his jaw and knocking him to the ground. Damn it, not _now_! Couldn't the stupid bastard _see_ what was happening?!

Zero ignored that obvious insult, tiring to jump to his feet and help Erts, but Hiead was on him in a second, dark eyes cold as he wrestled the brown-haired boy to the floor, landing glancing kicks and punches that, although not serious, served to keep Zero off-balance.

"Damn it, you coward-- bastard, _LET ME GO!!_" the tears were blurring his vision even as he fought against his rivals caging hold viciously, using any means necessary to make him let go and release him, but to no avail. Hiead was using his EX as well, but it wasn't wild like Zero's at the moment, it was controlled-- and directed solely to the task of keeping him from doing something everyone would regret.

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[Who do you see...? Is it me...?]

Through the tears and the struggling, Zero noted that Yamagi and Roose had come up closer, obviously trying to help Hiead for once, but there was nothing they could do.

And then he felt it; both of them did, Hiead and Zero-- the power that was like theirs, but somehow older. The same thing they had felt when they had fought Victim in the Pro-Ings. It welled up inside of them, then spilled out, on to the floor, bathing the four gathered in a strange light, swirling with four indiscernible colors.

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[Now go!]

A pain ripped though Zero then, a pain so intense that for one moment he could feeling nothing but it, not even the sorrow and rage at what had happened. It seemed to last for an eternity, to stretch on and on inside his mind, but it was only a moment before he found himself on hands and knees, looking down unseeingly at green grass, mind not comprehending anything but what he was so focusing on.

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Erts...

He choked back a sob. There was no way the blonde boy could have... It just wasn't possible! He wouldn't believe it!

And yet... he had seen it with his own eyes, and felt it as well. He could not refute it, and sorrow and rage threatened to overwhelm him.

He could not fight the emotions; and so, why should he? There was nothing left for him right now but to feel; to feel so strongly that it would burn him to a husk inside. Then he could lie inside himself, and never have to think again. If he just...

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:No.:

Another voice in his head, this one different but still loud. His head snapped up at the sound, and eyes cleared for the briefest moment.

A sky. The thing Clay had called a 'horizon'. Trees. Grass. Houses.

A planet.

And now, for whatever reason, he was more lost that he had ever been, more lost than he had been five minutes ago.

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:No.:

Again, the voice; but now it was accompanied by a real, tangible sound of hoofbeats on hard ground, with a chime like bells, and the dual sound of another set of bells, and they rang sharply in his ears. He swallowed thickly, gaze moving towards the source of the sound-- and there in front of him stood a horse, so white it practically glowed, with a slender, muscular grace like nothing Zero had ever seen before, and the eyes, the deep, sapphire-blue eyes--

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:No, you are not lost. You are found. I Choose you; out of all the nations, I have found you at last! I will hold you, shield you from your wounds, and let you truly live. For I am yours.:

Zero couldn't breathe, this new feeling that had filled him the instant he had laid eyes on this magnificent animal was threatening to overwhelm him, but in a good way. He felt loved again, but his heart still ached fiercely, and he couldn't stop the tears from flowing freely. He sobbed, and the horse-- no, this was much more than a horse, it seemed-- nuzzled his shoulder tenderly.

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:Now you must forget, young one. You must forget until your wounded heart-- and your soul-- are ready to remember. Until that time comes...:

*****

So... *wheedling look* How was it? Alright? Good? Bad? Let it burn in Hell, perhaps? C&C, please!

And for those of you with question about poor Erts, well... maybe I did. Then again, maybe I didn't. You'll have to wait and see. ^.^;

Music notes-- the lyrics Kizna was singing came from Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles". The title for this chapter came from the song "Hero", from the Spiderman movie.

Recommended fics: Of course, "Entertaining Angels" and "Return of the Scatterling Angel" by Poetisa. And, for any of you WeiB Kreuz fans out there, check out Aphrael's "When in Rome". It's a must read for any KenxOmi/YohjixAya fans. ^.^

And thanks, of course, goes to Poetisa, for the inspiration needed to actually start this. ^.^

As always, don't forget to check out the HZML at http://groups.yahoo.com

Wind To Thy Wings,

Nozomi


	3. Part Two, A Difference of Sides

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Perchance to Dream

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A Difference of Sides

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:Someone calling on you, Chosen.:

The chocolate-haired youth blinked, pulled out of his half-dream by the gentle Mindspeech voice in his head. As the words of his Companion sunk in to his fog-addled brain, Zero grimaced and sat up off of his bed, which he had visibly collapsed onto a mere candlemark earlier.

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:Not another new Inductee, I dare to hope?: He thought, the words acknowledged by a silent, wry chuckle from the other end of the Mindspeech link.

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:You'd dare, but I'm afraid you'd dare wrong, dear. It's not the Trainee that calls your immediate attention, though, just some gently placating. That should be some relief.:

"It is." He grinned and stretched full-body, easing the aches of his joints from all of the showing he'd been doing lately. Herald Kantil, the one usually assigned the job of familiarizing any new Herald-Trainees with the large part of Heralds' Collegium when they first arrived, was out on in the field on special assignment, so it had been left to him, the only full Herald available at the moment, to take his place while he was away.

And what a job it was. Was it only his imagination, or were new Trainees pouring in like the Spring rain? He didn't envy Kantil his job in the least. He ached all over, and that just the effect of two days of this post. How in the Havens could Kantil stand it, day-in and day-out? It would drive Zero insane in an instant to contemplate it.

Eyes almost as impossibly blue as his Companion's fell to his clothing, and he grimaced for the second time that day. His Herald's Whites, the clothing each full Herald was required to wear when on duty, were rumpled and creased, though thankfully they had still stayed their usual, unearthly white through his half-asleep tossings and turnings. He let out a half-hearted groan and pulled at the clothing, trying to manually remove the only too-obvious wrinkles. He didn't have much luck, but that was to be expected. And he doubted he had time enough to chance into a new set.

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:Time to get going, Zero-love. Don't want to give visitors a bad impression of Haven, now do we?: As if to counter his own thoughts, his Companion spoke up. Sometimes he wondered if they enjoyed messing around in their Chosen's head a bit too much.

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:Of course not, Chosen. We only do it to keep tabs on those that are Ours.:

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:Right, right. Where, may I ask, are these people who so urgently need my attention?: He inquired with a wry expression, striding purposefully out of his room and down the long hallway, the raw sound of his boots connecting with the stone floor echoing a passage in front of him.

:Um... Front gate. For once.:

:Thank the goddesses that *someone* had the good sense to come in the *right* way for once in this place. Any idea who the other one is?:

:No, not really, but I've got a good guess. He's dressed oddly, though. His clothes are a bit ragged, but that's to be expected if he's come as far as he claims.:

:And that would be where, dearheart?:

She hesitated, then sent a terse, anxiety-filled reply.

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:Karse.:

He managed to keep walking normally, though that one word almost succeeded in stunning him into immobility.

Karse. The country that lined a small portion of the southeast border of their country; the country Valdemar had been at undeclared war with for centuries. What in the Havens could someone from Karse want, except perhaps to infiltrate their hated enemy's nation? Zero found a strange form of anxiety build in the core of his stomach, and he hesitated a moment.

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:Dearheart--:

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:I'll be there, Chosen. No need to worry. And who knows-- perhaps this will be your time, hm?:

:I should hope not. Not with anything to do with Karse, I should hope.: He answered to her teasing, a bit of his usual humor coming to the front. He'd be on his guard for the moment, certainly, but there was no reason to be brutally morbid about the situation.

In the three and a half years that he had been here, since the day he had ridden past the entrance to Herald's Collegium, weary and half-conscious on his Companion Meren's back, Zero had never had anything to do-- though not for any lack of wanting-- with Adventures. Unfortunately for him, Adventures were for extraordinary Heralds, like the legendary Herald Vanyel and his Companion Yfandes, or for the Monarch's Own Herald in defending the King or Queen, but not for someone like him.

Normal Heralds weren't sung about and immortalized in Bard's songs. Most Heralds went about their lives trying to do good in their kingdom, without any notion of being remembered much after they passed into the embrace of the Shadow-Lover. Most Heralds didn't worry about it too much, for they saw only the power and fame that came along with an Adventure, and not the potential 'fun' that came with it as well.

Most Heralds weren't Rei Enna, called Zero by most. Zero loved Adventures, daydreamed about them, lived them in his deepest dreams. He desperately yearned to go out on one, to rescue damsels-in-distress, to meet with strange, outlandish races like the Shin'a'in or the mythical Hawkbrothers, to fight bandits and brigands in a blood-stirring battle to end all battles. His very blood was hot with the wanting.

But the opportunity had never come, had never approached it's eager host. In fact, when he had first been presented with his Heraldic Whites, just six moons ago, and raised from Trainee to full Herald, the Heraldic circle had not even sent him on the usual field journey every other Herald had to go through. It was like they were purposefully trying to keep him here, cooped up like he was now. Not to mention that his yearmates, all five of them, went out on their own field training at the appropriate time.

Meren was certainly supportive of his rather unusual obsession, though. His Companion was supportive of him on all things, but this she seemed to be very adamant about-- yet she never protested when they didn't send him out for the required last bit of Herald training; not a word escaped her. He suspected a working of undermining rank in this whole mess, but none of his concerns could be proven, or even given the slightest bit of evidence. It was just too cleanly done, all of it.

He was eighteen-and-a-half now, and not as stupid and ignorant as he'd been when he had arrived here, but still people seemed to somehow pull the figurative wool over his eyes, and he didn't like it one bit. It was a source of reoccurring irritation for him, and it seemed even the Companions were in on it, for Meren wasn't talking; she who was the well-known gossip of the unnaturally white more-than-horses called Companions.

But... an Adventure? Coming out of Karse? Meren was grasping at loose straws, if even half of what Zero knew about that strange, magic-opposing land was true. From the time since he'd arrived he'd always heard, and so supposed, that nothing came out of Karse but brigands and bad weather. It was a crude generalization, but he'd heard that in Karse they believed Companions to be Demons and Heralds to be Demon-Riders; which they were certainly *not*, but Zero never heard of any from Karse doubting what their holy Sunpriests told them. And so far, the only events he had knowledge of Karse about were stories of hired bandits and dark-turned mercenaries attacking border villages under secret order to make it look like a regular bandit attack. Underhanded tactics, all of it, and just what underhanded Karse would use.

And now he was being confronted by a Karsite. What did this all mean? If it was some sort of political matter, he should hand the whole thing right over to the King's Own Herald Sayder, he knew that.

Zero found himself wondering if he had been asked for, specifically, or if the man had just requested the presence of a Herald in general-- and two halves of him warred on which he desired it to be. On the one hand, he wouldn't have to stumble headlong through whatever problem or crisis or whatever was wanted of him; on the other, what if this was, indeed, the start of an Adventure-- one that hopefully wouldn't get him killed like so many others written of in Bard song.

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Yeah. Me, on a real Adventure. Keep dreaming, Rei. Maybe you can imagine it into reality; at least *that* would be more plausible.

A sharp, biting wind brushed swiftly against him as he made his way down the stone pathway toward the main gate of the Collegium, ruffling his eternally-messy chocolate-brown hair and causing a layer of tears to sheen his bright eyes. He paused and glanced over his shoulder as the chiming, bell-like clatter of Companion's hooves reached his ears, a soft smirk gracing his features as he spotted Meren. How he knew it was indeed his Companion and not another was a had always been a mystery to him and most likely every Herald that had ever lived thus far; he just somehow knew, and that was enough.

The Companion's silver-white coat shone in the tinted sunlight of near-sunset, clear blue eyes fixed intelligently on him and her back bare, mane dancing in the breeze. She had most likely come over from Companion's Field, if Zero knew her. Meren had probably been flirting with any available stallions, as usual.

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:I was doing no such thing.: his Companion shot back indignantly as she caught the direction of his thoughts. She snorted at him to make her point, then promptly nuzzled his chest, causing laughter to bubble up in Zero's throat. He grinned and scratched her nose, and Meren gave him a contented sigh in return, before reached up and nipping at his hair playfully.

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:Oh, go on, you. No more time for stalling. I'm sure that the newly Chosen one is as frightened as the rest of them are when they first arrive, and being made to wait isn't helping any, I'd wager.:

Zero nodded and the two proceeded down the stone path at a brisk walk, he laying a warm hand on her neck for a sort of moral support.

It wasn't long at all before they reached the four waiting for them just inside the front gate; two humans and a Companion stared at them as they approached, the looks from the humans bordering on the verge of 'rude', as the horse led by one of the humans stared placidly at the stony ground. The youngling next to the Companion-- or rather, leeched onto the Companion-- had shoulder-length blonde hair, with muddled blue-green eyes that were so wide as to be almost comical. Her face was rather plain; not ugly, but with no really outstanding or distinguishing features. She couldn't have been any more than fourteen years, and barely looked even that.

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:Was I ever really that young?: he asked of Meren with a bit of astonishment. He couldn't remember ever being that small in his entire life.

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:Oh, I assure you, you have been much, much smaller, Chosen. However, I don't believe you ever grew out of being that young.: with those words came mental flashes of memories spanning his years as a Trainee; practical jokes, pranks, times when he had fallen asleep in class because he had been up all night planning a joke on someone he believed deserved it. Meren laughed in his mind as he fought to hold in his own laughter, not wanting to seem degrading or mocking in front of his visitors.

"Welcome to Herald's Collegium," he managed after a moment of pulling himself together. Hopefully his pause didn't seem too odd to them. "I am Herald Rei, but you can call me Zero. After all, everyone does anyway," he grinned self-depreciatively at that, rubbing the side of Meren's neck. "This is my Companion Meren, and it is apparently my job, at the moment, to show you--"

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:Saphron,: Meren supplied. _:And her Companion's Jerald.:_

:Thanks again, dearheart.:

"--Young Saphron around, with Jerald's permission, of course," he continued smoothly, glancing into the impossible blue eyes of the Companion. He was obliged after only a moment, during which he supposed Jerald was silently explaining what exactly was going on to his new Chosen.

"But he's coming with me, or no," Saphron announced, clinging stubbornly to her Companion's side. Zero grinned at her and nodded silent acknowledgement; judging by her clothes and accent, she was probably from the Border, perhaps even one of the Holderkin, and wasn't at all used to seeing many new faces-- unless they happened to be those of attacking bandits. He didn't think that would count much in her acceptance of strangers.

"Of course he is!" Zero exclaimed overdramatically, looking severely appalled. "Why, it would be such a shame if we left him all alone while you're having so much fun, don't you think?" he winked at her, and received a shy smile in return. "Although," he continued blithely, "I don't know if the King would appreciate hoof marks in the halls very much, so perhaps we can drop dear Jerald off at Companion's Field at the very end of the tour, so I can show you your room without getting into trouble myself?" he made his eyes as pleading wide as possible, directing his gaze solely at her. Saphron giggled and nodded, probably happy that she had a whole room to herself; those on the Border weren't exactly known for great prosperity, especially with the war with Karse going on.

"Well, okay then! It's settled," Zero's expression lapsed into a characteristic grin as he inwardly congratulated himself at handling another farm-fresh Trainee in so little time. Oh yeah. He was good.

Now-- Clear blue eyes darted over to take in the rather daunting form of the girl's human companion. He wasn't all that tall, but the way in which he carried himself made him seem taller than he was. His hair was a dark ebony, his skin the bronze of those of the southern border. Dark brown, almost black, eyes peered curiously at Zero beneath bushy eyebrows, as broad hands held tightly and securely to the reigns of the horse he had obviously brought with him from his home. There was no doubt that this man was from the border, and by the looks of him he was one of the common farmer-types found there.

Zero's gaze wavered back to the little girl. _:Meren, do you think you could persuade Jerald to perhaps occupy his Chosen's attention for a few moments while we speak?:_

A purely mental snort of contempt that he would even doubt her abilities to do so reached him in a split-second, and he grinned. There was nothing like playing fun at your Companions expense.

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:We'll see about that soon enough, Chosen: she retorted smugly, and Zero had no doubt she'd get back at him for his jest in her own time. It was a little on-going game between Chosen and Companion. He smirked inwardly at her and turned back to the problem at hand.

The man was still staring at him rather rudely, but Zero pretended not to take any notice of it; in the Borderlands, they didn't see Heralds but for once a year or so, if even that. There just weren't enough Heralds to go around the whole of Valdemar year-round.

"I understand you seek the council of a Herald of Valdemar?" he inquired, following the formal speech the Heralds used for guests of Haven and the Herald's Collegium. The man looked him over for a moment, obviously a bit surprised that he, who looked so young, was a Herald, but the faintest trace of a trusting smile washed across the man's features as he fixed his gaze back on Zero's face and began to speak in Valdemaran, with an accent that the chocolate-haired youth could only guess to be of Karse.

"Lord Herald, need Haven's help we do, for a strong enemy it is we face."

-----

Well, I'm slowly building up the plotline here. What does everyone think? I'm trying to keep Zero as IC as possible, but also remember that he has had three years to mature since the last chapter (that's right, three _years..._ It is three, isn't it? O.o). He's still Zero, just a bit more... mature and learned, I suppose. ^.^ There will be explanations about what happened during that time span later on. He'll still act as hotheaded as ever throughout the story, though.

Again, I welcome any feedback, good or bad, on this story, because I know how hard it can be to create a believable fusion/crossover. Please, if you see any mistakes, don't hesitate to point them out so I can edit them out.

poetisa-- ^.^ Thanks so much. I'm glad you like it. And the questions will be explained as the story goes along. I hope to get out new chapters faster than I usually do, if at all possible. Tri-- I try. ^.^; And here's more for ya. ^.^

Also, for those of you familiar with the Valdemaran world and timeline of events, this is set after _Oathbound,_ _Oathbreakers_ and _Oathblood_, during the reign of Herald-King Roald in Valdemar, so Tarma and Kethry might, perhaps, make cameo appearances throughout the tale. Most definitely a few Tayledras-- better known as 'Hawkbrothers' in Valdemar-- will, and perhaps even a bandit and a sorcerer or two. ^.^ You'll see what I mean. Till then--

Zhai'helleva,

Nozomi


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